You know how Sarah Palin said Paul Revere warned the British? Well, he did. Now, who looks stupid?

LA Times ^ | 6/6/2011 | Andrew Malcolm

[tobyhill]

You may have heard recently something about that Sarah Palin telling a reporter that Paul Revere warned the British on his famous rousing revolutionary ride.

Now, that so many Americans have wallowed in their smug confirmation that Palin is an idiot unqualified for anything but repeating sixth-grade history, how far, wide and fast do you think the contradictory news will spread that the former governor of Alaska was indeed correct?

That the Republican non-candidate, in fact, knew more about the actual facts of Revere's midnight ride than all those idiots unknowingly revealing their own ignorance by laughing at her faux faux pas? How secretly embarrassing this must be, to be forced to face that you know less than such a reputed dummy.

As it happens, though, such phenomena are regular occurrences in American politics, reminding consumers of news to be wary when some fresh story seems to fit contemporary assumptions so absolutely perfectly.

The well-known fable is Revere's late-night ride to warn fellow revolutionaries that....

...the British were coming. Less known, obviously, is the rest of the evening's events in which Revere was captured by said redcoats and did indeed defiantly warn them of the awakened militia awaiting their arrival ahead and of the American revolution's inevitable victory.

Palin knew this. The on-scene reporters did not and ran off like Revere to alert the world to Palin's latest mis-speak, which wasn't.

[org.whodat]

Yes, a good one!!!!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

What is a PDS?

For those who want to read Paul Revere’s account of the night the British marched, here it is:

http://www.masshist.org/database/img-viewer.php?item_id=99&img_step=1&tpc=&pid=&mode=transcript&tpc=&pid=#page1%22

[Springfield Reformer]

rope-a-dope ...

[traderrob6]

“No, what is going on is that Sarah Palin misspoke...”

So she “mispoke” a factually accurate answer?

Even Chris Wallace said she as correct. Hard to believe Freepers would be more cynical of a conservative than CW.

[Darksheare]

PDS is an acronym for Palin Derangement Syndrome.
Some people are doing the kindergarteen “ick she’s a girl and has cooties” crap.

[aruanan]

And good old Paul did not set out on his ride to warn the British.

No one said he did. Even worse than getting something wrong is mischaracterizing someone who got it right.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Thanks.

Alinsky-like: using personal insults to define, diminish and destroy someone.

[miss marmelstein]

I never accused YOU of being a Sarah hater. I don’t even know you.

But don’t tell me Sarah gave a “garbled” answer. I heard her answer and it was perfectly clear. If it was garbled to you, maybe you neeed to get your ears checked. Please don’t propagandize me.

[Darksheare]

Yes, and posters on FR doing that garbage still try to lay claim to the title of Conservative.
I had something mean to say about that behavior elsewhere.

[Mr Rogers]

If you read her answer, it is very obvious she is NOT giving a lecture on Paul Revere’s post capture activities.

PDS goes both ways, as did BDS. I have a Palin bumper sticker, but I don’t have an altar to her in my house. Worshiping a human is as deranged as demonizing one.

[SamAdams76]

The Paul Revere capture site is actually part of the Minuteman national park running through Concord, Lincoln and Lexington. There is a 5 miles bike/hiking trail that runs through there that I take quite often (it is located only a few miles from where I work and live).

Definitely worth a visit if you are ever in the area.

A key point about this brouhaha that I believe was mentioned before but deserves to be repeated:

At the time of Paul Revere's ride, we were still over a year from the Declaration of Independence. Thus we were still British subjects at the time. So whether or not one is referring to the capture, it is technically accurate to state that Paul Revere was warning the British that the "Redcoats" or "Army Regulars" were coming because we were all British subjects at the time.

[Springfield Reformer]

This is an informative link re Paul’s reconnaissance activity in general, and the moment of capture in particular. Quite belligerent that one, even with a gun pointed at him:

http://www.earlyamerica.com/lives/revere/chapt3/

[miss marmelstein]

Actually, Margaret Mitchell spent her entire childhood at the knees of veterans of the war and their wives. She rode her horse with vets - much like Bonnie Blue Butler! I believe that she, like Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald and her daughter, Scottie, didn’t find out they’d lost the war until they were about 12.

I’ve also heard that almost everything - down to the buttons on the ladies’ dresses - were accurate. I can believe it - the book is a masterwork and someday may achieve its deserved status.

[Mr Rogers]

“He who warned, uh, the British that they weren’t going to be taking away our arms uh by ringing those bells and making sure as he’s riding his horse through town to send those warning shots and bells that we were going to be secure and we were going to be free and we were going to be armed.”

That is not a clear and concise account of what happened, offered as a lecture on Revere & his post capture activities.

“If it was garbled to you, maybe you neeed to get your ears checked.”

If it was clear to you, maybe you should get off your knees and back slowly away from your Sarah Shrine...

[TruthBeforeAll]

This whole episode is a perfect example of Palin’s one glaring “weakness” (IMHO). And that is that she is simply horrible at trying to bluff her way through things she really isn’t that interested in. Don’t get me wrong, she is very interested in the founding of this country, but Paul Revere’s ride, while dramatic in and of itself, was just a bit part of the big picture and I’m sure not near to top of her importance list. Thus, she attempted to express everything she knows about it in one sentence, and yes, to me anyway, it definitely was a little corkscrewed, even if technically, sorta, accurate. But I still love her work ethic and integrity and will support her regardless of what she chooses to do.

[miss marmelstein]

Well, I don’t like purges but I’ve been wondering when he would tell off some of these people who are putting out Rino talking points. He certainly gives them a long leash!

I was shocked at Sarah’s comments this morning. I cringed - expecting some crazy, stupid, garbled remarks - and lo and behold! she’s clear-headed and articulate. I’ve got to trust Sarah more and freepers less, I guess. That wasn’t always the case...

[miss marmelstein]

So, you’ve listened to the audio so much, you can actually list her every um...um...um...uh...uh. Of course, no other pol uses those pauses to give them time to think and continue with their remarks. Nope, only Sarah. Try listening to Ed Koch someday! He’s a dope, too.

I am beginning to wonder if some of you audio-obsessed folks are playing it backwards to hear if Sarah said “Paul is dead.”

How did you know I call her The Divine Sarah?!

[Mr Rogers]

“So, you’ve listened to the audio so much, you can actually list her every um...um...um...uh...uh.”

I’ve heard it once. The quote was pulled from a news account, and when I heard her later, it was accurate.

“How did you know I call her The Divine Sarah?!”

Blow out your candles and leave your shrine. I’m pretty sure Palin doesn’t want to be worshiped.

[jackibutterfly]

"I stand corrected, there was bells involved."

Sorry, one more correction - to your sentence: "I stand corrected, there WERE bells involved."

[carcraft]

I think Palin hit on the rope-a-dope idea when she mentioned she read CS Lewis for inspiration. Joe Behar and several other media pundits laughed at her and said “Oh she reads Children's books for inspiration?” To the credit of Barbara Walters, Walters corrected Joy. These people are so quick to assume that Palin is wrong and stupid it really makes it easy for Palin!